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Playing for pride
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| Jersey Village junior tight end Ronell Lavigne dodges Cy-Fair defensive backs Wesley Ryan (25) and Duran Snoddy (23) during the Falcons' 20-10 loss Friday night at the Berry Center. Cy-Fair earned its first win of the season. |
By Michael Sudhalter
Two hundred and eighty-eight days separate the final week of the season and the 2009 opener.
That’s a lot of time to think about a winless season during weight training, spring practice, 7-on-7 passing tournaments and two-a-days.
Cy-Fair and Jersey Village each wanted to send their seniors out on a high note and bring at least some momentum into the offseason.
The two oldest schools in Cy-Fair ISD entered last Friday’s season finale at the Berry Center at 0-8. But the game mattered more than one would anticipate.
The fans, players and coaches of both schools braved the 40-degree weather, and Bobcats junior running back Tevin Champagne gave fans a glimpse of the future by rushing for 197 yards and three touchdowns in the Bobcats’ 20-10 victory over Jersey Village.
And the Bobcats were celebrating as they ran into the locker room after the game.
“We’ve got a lot of pride here at Cy-Fair,” Bobcats defensive end Donavan Guidry said. “Even though both teams were 0-8, we knew they’d come out hard, so we had to come out hard too. I’m a senior. That’s the last thing I’m going to remember as a senior.”
As special as it was to Guidry and his fellow Bobcats (1-8, 1-6), it was difficult for the Falcons (0-9, 0-7), who struggled offensively through the season.
“It hasn’t even set in yet, I’m going to miss it,” said Jersey Village senior offensive lineman Bobby Janisch, while holding back tears.
Cy-Fair coach Ed Pustejovsky had never been through a winless season in 28 seasons on the Bobcat staff. He still had mixed feelings about getting a Gatorade bath from his players after the win.
“It’s alright,” Pustejovsky said. “I’ve never been hit with Gatorade after a one-win season.”
Nine of the 14 teams in the Cy-Fair/Klein area will be competing in the playoffs this weekend. Three others entered last week with a chance of reaching the postseason.
Cy-Fair and Jersey Village were the only area teams playing with no playoff implications last week. They arrived at 0-8 different ways; Five of Cy-Fair’s eight losses came by eight points or less while Jersey Village only got within eight points twice.
Still, both squads ranked the top defenses in District 15 for most of the season.
The Bobcats were rebuilding after graduating most of their offense, including all-everything running back Sam McGuffie, who’s playing as a true freshman at Michigan.
Injuries were a problem for Jersey Village, which was forced to play its fourth string quarterback halfway through the season.
As one would expect in a game between two 0-8 teams, there were lots of penalty flags, but the Falcons built some momentum when senior quarterback Rocky Huff scored on a one-yard keeper. It was Jersey Village’s first points in three games, ending an eight-quarter scoring drought.
Like the rest of their season, the Falcons struggled offensively and were outscored 20-3 in the second half. The 2008 season is believed to be their first winless campaign in the 37-year history of the school.
That should be a great motivation to improve in 2009.
“It’s tough to handle,” Jersey Village coach David Snokhous said. “The seniors did a great job trying to fight back. It didn’t happen, we’ll regroup and start again next year.”
That’s a lot of time to think about a winless season during weight training, spring practice, 7-on-7 passing tournaments and two-a-days.
Cy-Fair and Jersey Village each wanted to send their seniors out on a high note and bring at least some momentum into the offseason.
The two oldest schools in Cy-Fair ISD entered last Friday’s season finale at the Berry Center at 0-8. But the game mattered more than one would anticipate.
The fans, players and coaches of both schools braved the 40-degree weather, and Bobcats junior running back Tevin Champagne gave fans a glimpse of the future by rushing for 197 yards and three touchdowns in the Bobcats’ 20-10 victory over Jersey Village.
And the Bobcats were celebrating as they ran into the locker room after the game.
“We’ve got a lot of pride here at Cy-Fair,” Bobcats defensive end Donavan Guidry said. “Even though both teams were 0-8, we knew they’d come out hard, so we had to come out hard too. I’m a senior. That’s the last thing I’m going to remember as a senior.”
As special as it was to Guidry and his fellow Bobcats (1-8, 1-6), it was difficult for the Falcons (0-9, 0-7), who struggled offensively through the season.
“It hasn’t even set in yet, I’m going to miss it,” said Jersey Village senior offensive lineman Bobby Janisch, while holding back tears.
Cy-Fair coach Ed Pustejovsky had never been through a winless season in 28 seasons on the Bobcat staff. He still had mixed feelings about getting a Gatorade bath from his players after the win.
“It’s alright,” Pustejovsky said. “I’ve never been hit with Gatorade after a one-win season.”
Nine of the 14 teams in the Cy-Fair/Klein area will be competing in the playoffs this weekend. Three others entered last week with a chance of reaching the postseason.
Cy-Fair and Jersey Village were the only area teams playing with no playoff implications last week. They arrived at 0-8 different ways; Five of Cy-Fair’s eight losses came by eight points or less while Jersey Village only got within eight points twice.
Still, both squads ranked the top defenses in District 15 for most of the season.
The Bobcats were rebuilding after graduating most of their offense, including all-everything running back Sam McGuffie, who’s playing as a true freshman at Michigan.
Injuries were a problem for Jersey Village, which was forced to play its fourth string quarterback halfway through the season.
As one would expect in a game between two 0-8 teams, there were lots of penalty flags, but the Falcons built some momentum when senior quarterback Rocky Huff scored on a one-yard keeper. It was Jersey Village’s first points in three games, ending an eight-quarter scoring drought.
Like the rest of their season, the Falcons struggled offensively and were outscored 20-3 in the second half. The 2008 season is believed to be their first winless campaign in the 37-year history of the school.
That should be a great motivation to improve in 2009.
“It’s tough to handle,” Jersey Village coach David Snokhous said. “The seniors did a great job trying to fight back. It didn’t happen, we’ll regroup and start again next year.”
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